Canadiens News

Habs unveil 2011-12 calendar

MONTREAL – The Montreal Canadiens and the NHL today released the schedule for the

2011-12 season. For the 11th consecutive year, the team will open the season on the road, facing the Maple Leafs in Toronto on Thursday, October 6.

The Canadiens’ home opener at the Bell Centre will be on Thursday, October 13 against the Calgary Flames. The Canadiens’ regular season will end on Saturday, April 7 when receiving the Maple Leafs, at the Bell Centre, wrapping up an 82-game schedule over 185 days. All weeknight games at the Bell Centre will start at 7:30 p.m., with the exception of the November 16 game versus Carolina (7 p.m.), and the March 1 game against Minnesota (7 p.m.). Saturday games at home will start at 7 p.m. with the exception of the two matinee games during the traditional Super Bowl Weekend on Saturday, February 4 versus the Washington Capitals (2 p.m.) and Sunday, February 5 against Winnipeg (2 p.m.). The Canadiens will also play a Sunday night game at the Bell Centre at 6 p.m. on February 19, hosting the New Jersey Devils.

In 2011-12, the Canadiens will face each of their division rivals (Boston, Buffalo, Ottawa and Toronto) six times (24 games). Four games will be played against each of the other 10 teams from the Eastern Conference (40 games). The remaining 18 games will be played versus Western Conference teams for a minimum of one game against each of the 15 Western teams, plus three (3) games featuring Canadian rivals from the Western Conference (Calgary, Vancouver and Edmonton).

The Canadiens will play eight preseason games, inclufing five at the Bell Centre, as the team will host Dallas, Buffalo, Ottawa, Boston and Tampa Bay. Three preseason games will also be played on the road: in Ottawa (September 23), in Halifax visiting Boston (September 25) and at Colisée Pepsi in Quebec City against Tampa Bay (October 1).

All Canadiens regular season games will be broadcast on RDS-HD, CKAC and THE TEAM 990. RDS will once again feature a number of Canadiens games for their Tuesday night broadcasts Les Méchants Mardis (12). Canadiens home games will be played at least once on each day of the week. Saturday remains the busiest day on the schedule with 22 games, including 12 home contests.